He said a parade would take place in the reserve depot near the Goldfields Arts Centre from 6pm on Thursday to salute the commanding officer, who would then give an address.

Mr Wade said recruiting officers would also be at the event to provide information to anyone interested in signing up.

Commodore Dowsing said he joined the Royal Australian Naval College directly from school, with the ultimate aim of fighting and winning in a maritime environment.

“From sub-lieutenant to captain, I enjoyed so many memorable assignments during my five commands, from postings in South Korea during the missile provocations to staff officer in Washington during 9/11,” he said.

Commodore Dowsing said being a leader in the navy was about being professionally competent, authentic and setting an example.

“When the going gets tough you pull through by stepping back, thinking through the challenges, prioritising, addressing the single point of failures and handling the remaining issues,” he said.

“Listen to the opinion of others, and remember that you are accountable for the subsequent decisions and outcomes,” he said. “Learn from all the episodes — good and bad. And remember that professional integrity is a leadership trait that every leader should possess.

“I also participate in Navy Leadership Mentoring and read and comment on leadership and management academic literature, which keeps me developing and growing as a leader.”